Diane Hale

It was fellowship that brought the village tinker John Bunyan, the future writer of The Pilgrim’s Progress, to Christ. In his book Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners, Bunyan recalls being a lost and profane young man who was first pricked for Christ by overhearing the conversation of a group of village women enjoying…

Living, moving, and being–three realities of being in relationship and abiding in Christ. Are you aware of these realities? What does it look like to live in Christ alone? It means you don’t go any place without His presence. You can’t get lost and you don’t make a wrong turn without God being in your…

Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” [Ephesians 4:32] The popular writer F.W. Boreham once lost patience with a difficult man name Crittingden, who said and wrote many critical words. Boreham, angered beyond endurance, finally wrote a flaming letter designed to sting and rebuke the…

“May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.” [Psalm 19:14] Someone once said “Sometimes I get the feeling the whole world is against me. But deep down I know that’s not true. Some of the smaller countries are neutral!”…

“…they will speak with new tongues…”(Mark 16:17c) I listened on Skype the other day as our granddaughter responded to her mother by saying nine—German for no. Not surprising in her new found language no would be one of the first words spoken emphatically. It brought to mind the lesson of learning a new language when…

“Do not be quickly provoked in your spirit…” [Eccl. 7:9]. Squawking–even the word can irritate with its sharp and unrelenting sense of a warring spirit. There you are enjoying the peace and beauty of God when suddenly a flock of blue jays with their constant squawking startle every living thing within hearing distance! Then there…

”Heal me, O Lord, and I will be healed; save me and I will be saved…” [Jeremiah 17:14] I always loved the Pike’s Nursery commercial—go dig in the dirt again! To me it spoke of undisturbed, carefree activity. However, you may be one of those people who constantly find it necessary to keep digging up…

“Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.” [Matthew 7:20] I sit across from three young women, new to me and to the discipleship class. Not your usual class in the warmth of home or church building…this was the county jail. The love of God reaches out as each in turn tell their story…oh yes,…

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So this is my prayer: that your love will flourish and that you will not only love much but well….” [Philippians 1: 9 The Message] Everyone knows that life is not a bowl of cherries—life is often hard and the bowl often becomes a pit and love seems to ‘go down the drain.’ The depth…

“But let all those that put their trust in You rejoice: let them ever shout for joy, because You defend them: let them also that love Your name be joyful in You.” (Psalm 5:11) Do you have trouble with those that speak of joy as though life was one big party? Or have you been…